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Know Thyself – Tools for Self-Knowledge – Richard’s Commentary
As I was writing my “morning pages” today I realized after a couple of paragraphs that I was writing today’s post and commentary on Rosemary’s Exploration article. I began my pages, as I often do, writing about the passage of time; here’s my entry:
We are running out of Leo fast; and then August. Everyone seems to be noting how fast time is now passing.
Of course it is all perception – as everything is. One effect on our perception is the amount of information we are bombarded with moment to moment. 24-hour news, FaceBook, email, the never ending stream of websites and blogs is literally overwhelming. When we are overwhelmed we can go into a spin, a dive that seems endless, frightening and high-speed. Time melts away in the dive – it almost feels like a death-defying dive!
And it is all perception! The only reality is of our own making, our own perceiving. To change our reality all we need to do is change our perspective. And this is a matter of intention and attention.
It begins with intention: what is going on inside. If we feel we are in free-fall, take a breath, maybe two, deep cleansing breaths, and then put the brakes on. Stop the fall. Sink into the dantien (the lower abdomen area) and breathe there. It is possible to float here. And as we float we can get a sense of flow, of going with the flow. The current doesn’t have to be a raging rapids; it can be a slow, lazy summer river taking its time in search of the sea. It can take on any speed we give it because this is our reality. We can imagine it to be any rate of flow we desire!
It’s good to take time out of a busy life to slow the pace. There really is no place to go. There’s nothing to do. Oh, OK, there are chores of life, tasks we set for ourselves, responsibilities we sign up for and lessons to learn. But we can be and breathe through all of these.
The “being part” is the witness who rides above all of the rapid pace, the wild passage of time, the endless stream of information. Rise up to that level and watch it all. How serious does it all appear to be – how real? How important?
From that vantage the passage of time seems almost irrelevant. Yes, we have our lessons to work out, our karmic Lesson Plan. Here’s where attention comes in. There are external influences that come to play in our lives. We have other people’s perceptions to take into account and to process. When we pay attention we can see and learn the lessons these interactions hold for us. This is a matter of shifting our perspective from “encounter” to “classroom.” We shift from “other” to “mirror” – how is this person mirroring me, my interactions and my behavior?
Inner perspective, intention, and outer perspective, attention, are always relative, which means they are adaptable, transmutable. The simple technique of using breath to do the adapting is all that’s needed. One breath can stop the fall, gain a fresh perspective and shift reality.
I have moved now well into my birthday month, working on my 70th year! To many, and sometimes me, this sounds old! And from this perspective that time is speeding up, I may not have much time left! So, I take a breath and try this on: “70 is the new 50”! Ah, that’s better and about how I feel! And soon enough 100 will be the new 70!
Rosemary asks: Have you explored tools to help you understand where you are coming from? What about where others are coming from? Do you value the differences in how people approach learning, or life, or do you expect everyone to see things as you see them? To listen and to hear exactly what you hear? To feel the way you feel?
My answer, as it is for many things these days, is “I practice Qigong.” Breathe deeply and gain a new perspective on your “reality.”
Trim It Up! – Richard’s Commentary
Transparency
This is a word, a feeling, a state of being I am working with this week. It came to me as a card from the Mayan Oracle deck that I referenced in my Monday post. It is a “lens” card – a diagram and a word to help us with perspective. And it seems I am gaining a very new perspective through this lens. Here is some of the writing I’ve done so far from a perspective through this “transparent lens”:
Transparency is about trying on new roles, new personae. It is about dropping the mask of illusion and stepping into a clear and blissful vision of the egoless self.
This takes tremendous trust! It is a vulnerable opening process backed by the belief that the Universe is completely benevolent, safe. We are safe to be anyone we can choose. This is Divine Bliss.
This clarity allows the light to radiate in, from and through with no filtering by the personality. It is a pure radiance…
And,
Robin Williams died on Monday. Did he derive his talent, skill, genius from being as transparent as any human can be? When Gurudev speaks and writes about the “witness” is he not talking about becoming transparent?
Rise out of the ego state and look, observe from that higher platform of transparency. This is a “dark mirror.” This is a “black hole” as Gurudev states. And it is completely transparent. From this vantage Truth can be seen.
Gurudev is Yogi Amrit Desai, an amazing man who has written of the importance of rising out of ego and personality into the state of being as “witness.” I compare this to moving into a state of complete transparency.
The process of becoming transparent to this level seems akin to “trimming it up.” Rosemary’s image in her post used trimming the dead branches of a tree in our yard to illustrate her point. The process cleared our view, brought in more light, made the yard more transparent and lightened the tree of its dead weight. Trimming to the point of transparency lifts us to new levels of vision and greater heights of bliss. Why is this important? Rosemary’s answer:
The guidance I am receiving is that we have no time now to pussyfoot around. We are focusing on growth, on expansion, on moving into deeper territories where we live the examined life, not an unconscious one. If you have relationships, situations, ‘stuff’ that doesn’t support you, that you feel holds you back or, worse, is toxic for you, then it is time to trim that out of your life.
“Live an examined life.” Become more transparent, especially to yourself. This is the call. And from that high vista you can be anyone you choose!
How’s That Planning Thing Going for You? – Richard’s Commentary
We are home from the last leg of our journey to the south, visiting family and friends all the way from Maryland to the “main event” in Orlando, Florida and back again. We left Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday where we spent some time with second son’s family, and plunged right back into our “normal” lives. In fact we arrived just in time to lead our Consciousness Exploration Group scheduled for the first Wednesday of every month.
It was a “busy” trip with one-night stands in several places as we drove south. Planning and coordination was key to keep us relatively on track to get from place to place. The trip went really well. Our last leg was uneventful.
We did get a little tangled up in navigating between Orlando and the Amrit Yoga Ashram, where we spent a delightful time with our nephew. Our Google Maps were not in complete agreement with our GPS guidance and we made some wrong turns on the toll roads. We spent a couple extra dollars backtracking, and, yes, my reaction was anger and frustration. I failed to take the advice Rosemary offered in her Exploration post:
Event happens. Then you React. And then you CHOOSE how you will respond.
Event (Plan seems to go awry). What is your REACTION? Anger? Upset? Depression? Denial? So many different emotions can arise and they can stem from previous experiences, even from your childhood. Reactions start at the unconscious level. But your RESPONSE is chosen consciously.
The key here is choice. The initial reaction is OK; we all react to missteps, to little, and big mistakes, to detours in life that annoy. It is the next step that matters. It is the conscious pause to move into our higher brain and consider an appropriate response, choose that response and act.
The second key is to work on shortening the time from reaction to chosen appropriate response. This seems to be the main work of my lifetime. My primary lesson is patience; and I get many opportunities to practice! Highway detours are just an example.
We will likely need to change our plans for visiting our new grandson in California. We had planned to go out for second son’s birthday, a few weeks after planned birth of Tristan. Son’s plans went into a sharp detour when Tristan decided to come into the world three and a half weeks early! Sometimes other people’s choices affect our plans!
Son Andrew seems to have handled this big change in his plans relatively well. He and Mom are home now and Tristan will follow soon when he is eating well and gaining a bit of weight (he was four and a half pounds at birth).
Of course we are easy with this change in plans; it means we get to see him that much sooner! We have to rearrange some scheduled events and reschedule the trip; fortunately we had not yet made flight reservations.
Some detours are good, even wonderful. This is what Rosemary means by “this or something better.” The best plans include this line!
CRYSTALS AND YOU – Richard’s Commentary
As I write this we are in Florida visiting friends on our way to a conference in Orlando. The items we brought, combining housewarming (our friends moved here recently) and host gifts, are crystals. In fact our son, who has been collecting crystals since he was two, sent a special quartz crystal he had found in Raleigh, NC, to our “adopted grandson”, aged 6, as a special connection. We are all tapping into the “wisdom of the worlds.”
Here is the paragraph from Rosemary’s channeled message from The Divine Feminine that I most resonate with:
Not all people alive at this time are ready to hear the Wisdom of the Worlds as transmitted by these crystals, and, so, they will deny the value or, indeed, even the idea of crystals as messengers. They will dismiss crystals as ‘new age fads’ or ‘just fancy rocks.’ When you hear this from a person, or if you feel this yourself, know that this attitude comes from a fear of the challenge of personal growth. If you are connecting to these words then, Dear One, you are ready for personal growth through a personal relationship with the Crystal Kingdom.
Many people are awakening to this special and “personal relationship.” We have another friend in the Annapolis area who hosts a crystal grid and sing bowls meditation once each month. These experiences are some of the most powerful meditation experiences I have had recently. And I am pleased and impressed by the number of young people who are attending. Several help with the hundreds of pounds of crystals set up each month. They are clearly ready for the “personal relationship.”
What does this mean exactly? I can’t explain it with rational thought or logical words. These are feelings. There is a vibrational experience and sensibility that works on trans-rational levels. It could be loosely compared to intoxication, but it is a trip of the mind/soul/spirit rather than a chemical trip of the body. And there is a Universe of “information” available on these trips. I am still processing my last experience with the crystals.
Do you have a crystal with which you resonate? If so you can simply sit with it. Hold it in any way that feels comfortable. Let your mind drift. Follow your breath. Then begin to gently tune in to the crystal. This is usually a very subtle process; a sensitive attunement with the energy radiating from the crystal. It is a delicate “listening” experience…listen with your entire person, especially inside. Tune out the five senses and “listen” with your heart. After a little while set the crystal aside and record what you experienced.
If you need to find a crystal to discover a “personal relationship” you can simply locate a “rock shop” in your area; you can find very inexpensive and yet powerful crystals almost anywhere these days (the Crystal Kingdom is seeking these relationships). Go into the shop in this “listening” mode described above. First sense the overall feeling of the shop. If it feels dead, low energy, or if you sense any negativity from the shopkeeper, choose another shop. But in my experience it is rare for a shop with crystals to have negative energy. To find “your” crystal simple scan the collection in the sensitive mode, listening with your heart. The crystal will call out to you!
Of course, if none of this makes any sense to you, you may not be ready for this “personal relationship.” And that’s OK too! We are all growing and developing at our individual rates. Remain in flow and patient!
For all of us, in all stages of development, the Crystal Kingdom is blessing us with their energy and messages!
We Are Family – Richard’s Commentary
I want to begin my comments with Rosemary’s ending to her Exploration:
This is important 21st Century work for each human being. Love yourself. Be Who You REALLY Are. Be the Light. Write your own story.
…and create your family; “we are family”! This is a lesson I have learned and continue to learn from Rosemary. It started over 30 years ago (we celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary yesterday!). We came together with kids; Rosemary had a daughter and I had two sons. From the very beginning we made a conscious choice, and from then on a conscious and valiant effort, to blend and create a “nuclear” family of the five of us. And it worked. Today our 30-something kids could not be closer if they were blood-related. We are family!
And we each have our extended families. I met Rosemary’s at her sister’s wedding. The vibe is dominated by Italian ancestry; my Norwegian/Swiss (northern) ancestry was welcomed in with open arms and big hugs. My cold northern blood melted right in to this southern love. Meanwhile my family remains pretty much in tact in Wisconsin – that Norwegian blood just likes it cold! I love them, visit (in the summer/fall) now and then. We are family!
And then we have our ultra-extended family that spans the globe from here north into Canada, east to Europe, south to Australia, west to China. We have grandchildren here in Maryland, another on the way in California. And then there are our adopted grandchildren/god-children spread all over from England to Florida and far beyond. Our younger friends with children just seem to know: we are family! (Of course, the children know it immediatedly!)
We are about to begin a fun trip to Florida for a work-related conference in Orlando next week. On the way (we are driving) we will stop in Raleigh, NC to visit with our youngest child, catching up with that part of the nuclear family and his delightful girl friend. Then it is on to Brunswick, GA to visit long-term, but not seen in years, friends; and even though there is a serious back injury in the picture here, we are compelled to spend the night – “you are family.” Then it is on to Tampa to visit more friends and one of our adopted grand/god-children. After the Orlando conference it is on to Amrit Ashram to visit a nephew and Gurudev. We are family!
And my story goes on. It is still unfolding. We have more family members to meet; they are out there waiting for us. As Rosemary says:
…write a NEW story! You have permission. You are Lady or Lord Creator of Your Own Truth! Love yourself enough to be the creator of a fine life story. Be the ancestor of a legacy that makes you proud and smiling today.
Be the love. Be the light. Go meet your family; they are out there waiting for you! Be the ancestor of a legacy! And remember:
We are family!
The Moon and YOU! – Richard’s Commentary
Do you pay attention to the moon? Right now we are being inundated with rain here in Maryland, so I can’t see the moon. But I know she is waning after fullness last Saturday. We’ll soon be coming up on last quarter and then a week later a New Moon. The cycle repeats reminding us of rhythm. Moon cycles are like breaths; she swells from newness to fullness as with a two-week inhale, and then shrinks from fullness back to newness on her two-week exhale. She reminds us to breathe with her: big, full abdominal breaths.
As some of you may know I cast an I Ching Gua on every New Moon. A gua is a six-line hexagram made up of yin and yang(open and solid) lines. (My last post about this can be found HERE for the last New Moon.) I do this for a number of reasons but the key one is I am curious about what new things the New Moon is bringing in, especially what the energies, specifically the energies of change may offer during the month between the New Moons. It is fun to go back over the month and the “reading” of the I Ching to see the correspondences between the reading and actual events! I am amazed at the accuracy!
Another tool I use in conjunction with moon cycles is my Possibilities Playbook I created during Rosemary’s January Possibilities Playshop. My Playbook is a 12-month notebook filled with pictures, phrases, themes and other guidance that I intuitively chose to go into my book in January. Of course, the book is laid out according to the moon phases. Now I record plans, events, feelings and senses of how unfolding reality aligns with what I set in motion in January. This tool is like a “vision board on steroids.” The pictures, words, phrases are pulled from magazines not with desires, hopes, plans in mind but how I want to feel. Looking back on the process I had no idea why certain pictures appealed to me. Now as I examine the pictures in context of what is actually happening I get it! And I am continually amazed!
There are lots of reasons to pay attention to the moon cycles in your life. Certainly gardening and farming, fishing and boating are activities influenced by the moon. I was pleased to learn, during a tour of Napa Valley a few years ago, that at least one vintner, Grgche Hills Estates, uses the phases of the moon for planting, pruning and harvesting. As they say: “Committed to natural winegrowing and sustainability, we farm our five estate vineyards without artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, rely on wild yeast fermentation…”
The moon has so much to offer us if we let her into our lives. Think of all the songs we would miss if not for the moon! Pay attention. Note the days on the calendar when she fill, empties and goes dark for a time. Keep a diary of how you feel in relation to the phases. Note your dreams and if they are influenced. Be aware of peoples’ driving and how it changes with the changing moon. You too may be amazed at what you find!
The Science of Metaphysics – Richard’s Commentary
Here’s the key thought in Rosemary’s post last Friday which I reposted here yesterday:
“The Universe is revealing itself to scientists in such a way that they can now believe what metaphysicians have known through their revelatory methods.”
And here she was quoting the Pleiedians. There is a lot of information in this compact sentence.
First “the Universe is revealing itself.” In a sense this is referring to consciousness itself. There are those, Robert Lanza, author of Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe, for example, who would support the argument made here; that consciousness expands in parallel with the expanding of the Universe and our understanding of that Universe. This expansionism, one could call it evolution, is one and the same as “biocentrism.” Lanza argues that it is, in fact, Consciousness as housed in biology that creates the Universe. It seems we can’t have a Universe without Consciousness, nor can we have Consciousness, particularly housed in biology, without the Universe!
This phrase then seems a truism if we equate the Universe with Consciousness.
Second, “scientists … can now believe…” Yes, science is another belief system just as so many religions and other organizational approaches to consciousness are. The sad fact is there are scientists who seem more dogmatic about their system than some religious leaders; and there are many in western society that kowtow to science when they would never be caught kowtowing to any religion or religious figure!
Third, “what metaphysicians have known…” So, scientists “believe” while metaphysicians “know.” This is a telling phrase and comparison. The implication is science is still evolving, learning, gaining revelation as the Universe unfolds (as consciousness expands). They are gaining insights in areas where metaphysicians have already made their explorations and discoveries.
Fourth, “through their (metaphysicians’) revelatory methods.” The methods, of course, are inner seeking, contemplative and meditative approaches to searching for truth. The Pleiedians say it best:
“In the realm of metaphysics, one rises above the known, the expected, and opens oneself to the field of limitless possibilities. No judgments. No pre-conceived notions. No rules and no ‘shoulds.’ The metaphysician is open to the exploration in a way that is energized by curiosity and receptivity. There is also a trust that is engendered by an understanding that the metaphysician has of the connectedness of all things, the unity that is The Universe. The guiding principle of the metaphysician is, ‘As Above, So Below.’ Thus, all exploration of The Universe at large is an exploration of the Self, the Universe Within, and vice versa.”
The methods here are open and inner exploration. There are no hypotheses set forth, no preconceived notions of the way things “should” be. And therefore Consciousness is allowed to expand, to evolve; the Universe reveals herself in her ever expanding glory.
And the metaphysician “knows.”
Problems? Be a Solver! – Richard’s Commentary
Rosemary posted her “Exploration” on this subject the night of the New Moon in Cancer. As I do on the New Moons I cast an I Ching Gua – a six-line hexagram consisting of open, yin, and closed, yang lines. I posted my results and my interpretation of this I Ching divination on Monday this week (Link). The initial Gua I obtained was “Hardship” – it appeared that I may be in for some “problems” during the month (I use the I Ching to give me a sense of the incoming energies for the month ahead from New Moon to New Moon).
Here is what Divine Mother Mary channeled through Rosemary had to say about problems and how they might be solved:
When people seek solutions to problems, answers to questions, they do not realize that they are seeking help in making a change in their life. They want something outside themselves to change without changing anything in their interior life, and they want that one thing in their life to change without their having to change anything else in their life.
I am fascinated by this Mary quote because here is what Taoist Master Alfred Huang, quoting early 3rd Century BC philosopher, Mencius, offered to help us understand “Hardship” –
If one loves others and they do not respond in the same way,
one should turn inward and examine one’s own love.
If one treats others politely, and they do not return politeness,
one should turn inward and examine one’s own politeness.
When one does not realize what one desires,
one must turn inward and examine oneself in every point.
The message is clear from both Mother Mary and the I Ching: if you want to solve a problem look inside yourself for the solution. How do you need to change your perspective? What do you need to change to be a solver?
One must seek a solution to a problem by asking this question FIRST: “WHO do I need to BE in order that this problem be solved?” –Mary
Turn inward and examine oneself in every point. –Mencius
And the good news for this month is the “Hardship” doesn’t last! There is volatility in the I Ching and it changes to “Union.” I like that energy much better. It also suits the Cancer energy much better!
Enjoy your month of “Union.” Enjoy your problem solving by questing inside for the changes, the appropriate responses, the new perspectives that lead through the lessons to the positive outcomes you desire and deserve!
Dream-Makers or Dream-Takers? – Richard’s Commentary
This past Saturday Rosemary offered a Possibilities Playshop to celebrate the Summer Solstice. And once again we all had a wonderful time exploring Possibilities. In a way this Playshop is like exploring our dreams, or exploring what our unconscious mind would like us to be doing! It is a “dream-maker” for us.
And during the Playshop we do use our unconscious minds, our intuitive minds to create a Playbook that we can use to guide us along our dream-paths. Rosemary’s process is very effective in getting our egos and our conscious thinking minds out of the way for a short while in order to get in touch with our dreams. She invites participants, after several exercises to quiet the ego, to make “bodacious wishes” for ourselves. Wishes are then planted on our timelines, set as goals or destinations out ahead so we can move along toward wish fulfillment, that place where we can live our dreams!
In short Rosemary, through her guidance during the Playshop, facilitates our dream-makers and we then capture those dreams and build roadmaps toward fulfilling them.
It is a lot of fun to participate in this Playshop in a group. We all support each other in the process, commenting on how the Playbooks come together, the meanings or interpretations of various components as they are added to the books. We come together as a support group and can then help one another through the months as our dreams unfold. Our intention is to come together again around the Winter Solstice to extend our Playbooks, add to our dream timelines and continue the support. It is good to have others supporting our dreams. As Rosemary wrote in her post:
There will be people who want to be your champions, your cheerleaders and who want to help you make your dreams come true. There are others who, for whatever reason, don’t want that. Choose consciously those you allow to surround you. Dream-Makers or Dream-Takers?
All the participants in our Playshop group are my champions. That feels good!
I don’t share my dreams with just anyone. Often they are “bodacious.” And I don’t need anyone to tell me how improbable they might be! No dream-takers for me! The fact is I am enough of a dream-taker for myself.
I think this might be true for a lot of us. We can often be very effective in sabotaging ourselves and derailing on the path toward dream fulfillment. After the Playshop it is back to “reality.” Our egos kick back in. We start questioning. We begin procrastinating. We get wrapped up in the routine of living. We start making excuses, choosing an interruption or a side-track to re-route us around the dream. Yes, I am my own biggest dream-taker.
The solution? Rosemary’s sums it up nicely:
Own your vision. It comes from connecting to your Purpose, to your Soul Mission on Earth. Continue to Dream Big and the support you desire will show up. Stay committed no matter what or who around you tries to take that dream away.
Choose and commit! Then surround yourself with support for your dreams, your dream-makers!
Stay courageous. Move in the direction of your dreams, no matter what. If you look around you now and can’t find friends to support you, seek out new friends. Find those who uplift others and hang out with them. Speak to loved ones and share that you want their support as you go ahead to pursue your dreams.
What’s Your Umbrella? – Richard’s Commentary
My “umbrella” has always been work. When I was in the corporate world I worked hard. I traveled a lot. I had responsibilities. I shouldered them well. As I look back on those 40 years I realize that I was often running away from the lessons, the real part of life I needed to learn.
Oh, sure, I needed to earn a living, keep the family secure, move ahead, up the corporate ladder – that’s what we do, right? But at what expense? How many of us escape into our work with these very rational motivations and miss why we are here in the first place, miss our real purpose?
I am retired now, still working hard, enjoying the work a great deal more and, yes, sometimes I still continue to use work as my umbrella. Why? Rosemary hits on one of the reasons:
All you have is NOW. The lessons don’t go away. The Universe wants you to have that success, satisfaction and fulfillment and puts lessons on your path so that you can clear the blocks and achieve your dreams. Why delay that?
It’s usually fear. But the rewards of doing the work, of learning the lessons, are so much greater than the pain of getting there that it’s worth it to start now.
Yes, it’s usually fear. I wrote about this in a post just last Friday, the 13th when I commented on the blocks we face:
I think the main one is fear – fear of letting go completely and relaxing into full awareness.
I believe my main purpose in this life is to become fully aware, to become enlightened. This is not an ego thing; I believe this is the main purpose of every human on the planet. I, at least on some unconscious level, have known this for a long time. And I have escaped from this, from the lessons that would bring me closer to enlightenment, and worked on all the other things humans do: job, family, earning corporate merits, duty, …
But the Universe wants me to have that “success, satisfaction and fulfillment…” The Universe wants us to become enlightened! The lessons are all there, strewn in our path to bring us into the light.
The ego doesn’t get this. The ego would rather escape into work and feed itself with the rewards of a job well done. So the Universe continues to offer the lessons. And I am beginning to listen. Sometimes the lessons are loud; we can only miss them if we continue to distract ourselves with our umbrellas. Sometimes the lessons are whispers. I’m learning to listen more closely.
I’m following the advice I wrote for myself in the June 13 post (link). And I am ready to “happily dance in the rain!”
Men and The Goddess 